Joseph's contrivance to stop his brethren. The humble supplication of Juda.

[1] And Joseph commanded the steward of his house, saying: Fill their sacks with corn, as much as they can hold: and put the money of every one in the top of his sack.
Praecepit autem Joseph dispensatori domus suae, dicens : Imple saccos eorum frumento, quantum possunt capere : et pone pecuniam singulorum in summitate sacci.

[2] And in the mouth of the younger's sack put my silver cup, and the price which he gave for the wheat. And it was so done.
Scyphum autem meum argenteum, et pretium quod dedit tritici, pone in ore sacci junioris. Factumque est ita.

[3] And when the morning arose, they were sent away with their asses.
Et orto mane, dimissi sunt cum asinis suis.

[4] And when they were now departed out of the city, and had gone forward a little way; Joseph sending for the steward of his house, said: Arise, and pursue after the men: and when thou hast overtaken them, say to them: Why have you returned evil for good?
Jamque urbem exierant, et processerant paululum : tunc Joseph accersito dispensatore domus, Surge, inquit, et persequere viros : et apprehensis dicito : Quare reddidistis malum pro bono?

[5] The cup which you have stolen is that in which my lord drinketh, and in which he is wont to divine: you have done a very evil thing.
scyphus, quem furati estis, ipse est in quo bibit dominus meus, et in quo augurari solet : pessimam rem fecistis.

[6] He did as he had commanded him. And having overtaken them, he spoke to them the same words.
Fecit ille ut jusserat : et apprehensis per ordinem locutus est.

[8] The money, that we found in the top of our sacks, we brought back to thee from the land of Chanaan: how then should it be that we should steal out of thy lord's house, gold or silver?
pecuniam, quam invenimus in summitate saccorum, reportavimus ad te de terra Chanaan : et quomodo consequens est ut furati simus de domo domini tui aurum vel argentum?

[9] With whomsoever of thy servants shall be found that which thou seekest, let him die, and we will be the bondmen of my lord.
apud quemcumque fuerit inventum servorum tuorum quod quaeris, moriatur, et nos erimus servi domini nostri.

[10] And he said to them: Let it be according to your sentence: with whomsoever it shall be found, let him be my servant, and you shall be blameless.
Qui dixit eis : Fiat juxta vestram sententiam : apud quemcumque fuerit inventus, ipse sit servus meus, vos autem eritis innoxii.

[11] Then they speedily took down their sacks to the ground, and every man opened his sack.
Itaque festinato deponentes in terram saccos, aperuerunt singuli.

[12] Which when he had searched, beginning at the eldest and ending at the youngest, he found the cup in Benjamin's sack.
Quos scrutatus, incipiens a majore usque ad minimum, invenit scyphum in sacco Benjamin.

[13] Then they rent their garments, and loading their asses again, returned into the town.
At illi, scissis vestibus, oneratisque rursum asinis, reversi sunt in oppidum.

[14] And Juda at the head of his brethren went in to Joseph, (for he was not yet gone out of the place), and they altogether fell down before him on the ground.
Primusque Judas cum fratribus ingressus est ad Joseph ( necdum enim de loco abierat) omnesque ante eum pariter in terram corruerunt.

[15] And he said to them: Why would you do so? know you not that there is no one like me in the science of divining.
Quibus ille ait : Cur sic agere voluistis? an ignoratis quod non sit similis mei in augurandi scientia?

[16] And Juda said to him: What shall we answer my lord? or what shall we say, or be able justly to allege? God hath found out the iniquity of thy servants: behold, we are all bondmen to my lord, both we, and he with whom the cup was found.
Cui Judas : Quid respondebimus, inquit, domino meo? vel quid loquemur, aut juste poterimus obtendere? Deus invenit iniquitatem servorum tuorum : en omnes servi sumus domini mei, et nos, et apud quem inventus est scyphus.

[20] And we answered thee, my lord: We have a father an old man, and a young boy, that was born in his old age; whose brother by the mother is dead: and he alone is left of his mother, and his father loveth him tenderly.
et nos respondimus tibi domino meo : Est nobis pater senex, et puer parvulus, qui in senectute illius natus est : cujus uterinus frater mortuus est : et ipsum solum habet mater sua, pater vero tenere diliget eum.

[26] And we said to him: We cannot go: if our youngest brother go down with us, we will set out together: otherwise, without him we dare not see the man's face.
Cui diximus : Ire non possumus : si frater noster minimus descenderit nobiscum, proficiscemur simul : alioquin illo absente, non audemus videre faciem viri.

[29] If you take this also, and any thing befall him in the way you will bring down my gray hairs with sorrow unto hell.
Si tuleritis et istum, et aliquid ei in via contigerit, deducetis canos meos cum moerore ad inferos.

[31] And he shall see that he is not with us, he will die, and thy servants shall bring down his gray hairs with sorrow unto hell.
videritque eum non esse nobiscum, morietur, et deducent famuli tui canos ejus cum dolore ad inferos.

[32] Let me be thy proper servant, who took him into my trust, and promised, saying: If I bring him not again, I will be guilty of sin against my father for ever.
Ego proprie servus tuus sim qui in meam hunc recepi fidem, et spopondi dicens : Nisi reduxero eum, peccati reus ero in patrem meum omni tempore.

[33] Therefore I thy servant will stay instead of the boy in the service of my lord, and let the boy go up with his brethren.
Manebo itaque servus tuus pro puero in ministerio domini mei, et puer ascendat cum fratribus suis.

[34] For I cannot return to my father without the boy, lest I be a witness of the calamity that will oppress my father.
Non enim possum redire ad patrem meum, absente puero : ne calamitatis, quae oppressura est patrem meum, testis assistam.